


The Time Bender

by Feeney



Category: Avatar: Legend of Korra
Genre: F/F, Inspired by Life Is Strange
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-03-23
Updated: 2018-06-23
Packaged: 2019-04-06 23:56:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 10,070
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14068380
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Feeney/pseuds/Feeney
Summary: Asami never envied benders. Engineering and business were her elements, and she was quite comfortable leaving all the spirituality stuff to her Avatar. But the universe never did care much for comfort zones.(Set two years after LoK series end. Canon-compliant, established Korrasami. Inspired by the video game Life Is Strange.)





	1. Day Zero

“It would be a really _big_ boat,” Korra was saying as she spread her arms wide. “Like this big. I mean, if my arms were like three hundred feet long.”

“Okay...”

“Like a floating hotel, with health and beauty spas or whatever, but also fun activities. A water slide, a trampoline, mover screenings, all-you-can-eat buffets, the works! So people on the boat could have a great time while out on the water!”

Asami made a face. “Korra, I think you’re overestimating how many people would actually enjoy living in the middle of the ocean.”

“I would love to live at sea!”

“Says the _waterbender_.”

She waved her hand dismissively. “But it wouldn’t only be about the ocean. Every day or so the boat would dock at different ports around the world. Like it would start at Yue Bay in Republic City, spend a day at sea, then dock at Ember Island and people could spend a day or two there. Then the boat sets sail again and lands at the Western Air Temple for a day, and then maybe a stop at Rojonu Beach in the Earth Kingdom before looping right back to Republic City!”

Asami actually stopped walking.

“That’s...wow, that’s an amazing idea.”

“There could be different travel paths, too. In the summer when it’s milder, there could be a southern loop that brings you to the South Pole, the Southern Air Temple, and Kyoshi Island!”

“Multiple lines available at different times of the year…” Asami mused. “Each ship would have to spend at least a week at sea, but that’s about how long good vacations are anyway. And it’s a different port with different things to do and cultures to see every day, so it’s like a bunch of vacations rolled into one.”

“Exactly!”

“Korra, you’re a _genius_.”

“Aren’t I, though?”

Asami was already drawing up ship blueprints in her mind. She grinned.

“We’d have to get the proper permits for this, although I imagine there isn’t a category for this kind of ship yet. Then there are border agreements we’ll have to draw up, since this would be an international system. And the sanitation concerns, insurance issues, liability waivers, emergency protocols, communication bridges - “

“Okay, this got considerably less fun.”

“No, no, I can do all that,” Asami insisted. “Don’t worry, you’ll get your floating ocean hotel.”

“A cruise.”

“What?”

“Cruise,” Korra repeated. “We can call them cruises, because they'll be _cruisin’_!”

She made a waving motion with her hand, causing Asami to bark out a laugh.

“Nerd.”

“You mean ‘best fiancee ever’.”

“If you say so.” She clasped Korra’s hand in hers and continued down the path.

The small rings on their fingers glinted in the sunlight, and the natural glow of the Spirit Portal. The day really was perfect. Even the Portal seemed to be relishing it, shining so brightly and excitedly it was almost like flashing lights. Even more perfect, the new Avatar Korra Park hadn’t officially opened to the public yet. That meant for one more day, it belonged only to them and their friends.

In the weeks following Kuvira’s downfall, Asami had discovered that the devastation around the Spirit Portal, where the industrial and commercial center of Republic City had once stood, was irreparable. This was largely due to the spirit flora and fauna that kept springing from the crumbled buildings and scorched earth. She had sent an environmental team to investigate and found that the Spirit Portal had completely changed the makeup of soil in the area. Even if they had tried to build up the skyscrapers to their former glory, the heavy buildings would just sink into the ground and be overrun by spirit foliage unless supported by several hundred-million yuans worth of construction.

Korra had outright refused to bulldoze the newly grown spirit life, and President Raiko denied the funds that would have allowed Future Industries to support the skyscrapers. In the end, it was Asami that drew up the ultimate solution - move Avatar Korra Park to the site of the Spirit Portal, and rebuild Republic City’s downtown area at the Park’s former location.

“You guys did a really good job here,” Korra murmured, pressing a light kiss on her cheek.

The spirits seemed to agree. The vines, which had been re-growing for months, took to their new park fondly. Instead of shooting through buildings and bridges, they wrapped themselves around the perimeter of the New Avatar Korra Park. They coiled together forming braided fences and fantastic tree-like structures, buried themselves beneath the ground to form new hills and valleys, and peeked from the grass to create natural benches and shade.

Two years after the space was little more than a dusty crater, plant and animal life from both the physical and spirit world could now flourish in harmony. It was a peaceful haven for human and spirit alike. No other place on earth was more suited to being named after Korra. There was no better place for a Spirit Portal to proudly beam.

“A new park and a big boat,” Asami mused. “Who did you say was the best fiancee ever?”

“Hey, the boat was my idea. I’ve been thinking of telling you about that for like, a month!”

“Why didn’t you?”

Korra grinned. “If you didn’t agree to marry me when I proposed, I was going to share the idea with Varrick and let him get the jump on you.”

Asami snickered and whacked her on the shoulder. “Rude!”

“I’m kidding!”

“Obviously.”

“I just wanted to wait until you wrapped up the contract for Ba Sing Se’s monorail before you tackled your next big project. You dive into every new thing head first, and I just wanted to make sure you didn’t have too much on your plate.”

“How considerate,” she snorted. “You just _assumed_ your idea was so good I wouldn’t be able to help myself?”

Korra puffed out her chest. “All my ideas are good! When have my ideas not been good?”

Asami just gave her a look.

“Okay, yeah, fine. Whatever."

Asami smirked. “Come on, we should walk faster. If we leave Bolin with the food for too long we won’t get any.”

They were meeting up for a picnic lunch with Mako, Bolin, and Opal by the pond. It was the one rare day in what seemed like forever that they were all free at the same time. Mako was back with the RCPD and recently made detective, the youngest on the force in it’s history. Opal was well on her way to earning her airbending master tattoos, and worked as Tenzin’s assistant on Air Temple Island. Bolin had gotten a job with Asami’s construction team, working on the relocation of Avatar Korra Park and construction of the new commercial and industrial center at its old site. Meanwhile, Future Industries was buried in restoration projects, and Korra was currently traveling back and forth between Republic City and the Earth Kingdom, trying to stabilize their newly-installed parliamentary democracy. Between the five of them, they barely ever got chances like these to come together.

Korra and Asami had been engaged for two weeks, but they’d done it abroad on business in Ba Sing Se, in a blissful private moment that had become such a rarity lately. Once the rest of Team Avatar caught wind, they’d demanded a reunion.

“I bet you five yuans Mako is wearing his detective uniform even though he’s off duty.”

Asami pinched her in the side as they approached their friends. They had thrown a blue table cloth over a short clump of spirit vines and were sitting around it on the ground. As expected, Bolin’s cheeks were already bulging with seal kebabs.

“There they are!” Mako stood up to greet them, wearing a plain white collared shirt and brown pants. Korra accepted his hug, and pouted over his shoulder in acknowledgement of her five yuan debt. Asami disguised her giggle with a fake cough.

“LET ME SEE!” Bolin swallowed his food so hard his neck looked he’d inhaled a walrus-bear whole. He and Opal launched over their picnic spread and made a beeline for them. Specifically, the engagement rings on their fingers.

Bolin practically tackled Asami to the ground trying to grab her finger, while Opal raised Korra’s wrist over their heads to watch the sun shine off of the platinum band.

“These are beautiful!” Opal gushed, pulling Korra into a hug.

“I cannot _believe_ you guys are engaged!” Bolin squeezed Asami to his chest. She allowed herself to turn purple for a few moments before struggling to get away. “I can’t believe you did it without us! Your closest and best friends in the whole entire universe!”

Korra laughed and tried to tug at Bolin’s shoulder before Asami passed out.

“We do everything with you guys. This was just for us. But we promise you’ll be at the wedding, okay?”

Bolin frowned.

“You’ll be _in_ the wedding.”

The frown turned into a pout.

“And you’ll...plan the wedding?”

_“YES!”_

He pumped his fists in the air and released Asami, who staggered on her feet, gasping for breath. Opal barely noticed as she swooped over to look at her ring as well.

“What kind of diamonds even are these?” she wondered.

“Water Tribe diamonds,” Korra said proudly. “They’re super rare, practically mined out of existence by the Fire Nation during the Hundred Year War, but Fire Lord Zuko released most of them back to the world. Each Nation has a few now, even the Air Temples have artifacts set with these diamonds.”

“I heard the ring Avatar Aang gave Katara was a Water Tribe diamond, too,” Mako said, inspecting the princess-cut stone set in Korra’s ring. As he turned her hand, the tiny blue flecks characteristic of the rare diamond shined almost like little lights.

Asami nodded and held out her own. “That’s this one, actually.”

“Katara gave it to me when I mentioned I wanted to propose to Asami,” Korra said. “She thinks it would be nice if there was some kind of Avatar heirloom that could get passed down from generation to generation.”

“So where did Asami get the one she gave to you?”

Asami shrugged. “I got a hold of some for use as superconductors to see if they would improve a few of the circuits in my designs. Anyway, I took one, which pissed off my foreman a little, but he’ll make do.”

“Romantic,” Opal snorted.

“Hey, you find me a more cost-effective superconducting network solid than a Southern Water Tribe diamond and I’ll gladly…”

She trailed off, but no one seemed to notice. Bolin had started on a new story.

“Mako, do you remember when we were kids and the Triple Threats tried to use us to steal a diamond out of that museum?”

“ _What?!”_ Opal demanded.

“Oh yeah! They were - ”

Asami didn’t even hear his response. Her eyes were averted up to the Spirit Portal, which beamed brightly over them.

Something was off. At first, she assumed that it was just glowing differently in the afternoon sun, but it wasn’t just it’s blinding yellow color that was different. The Spirit Portal was almost crackling now, as if imbued with more electricity than it could hold. Jagged lines of energy reached out from the center of the portal, almost as if it were trying to grab something out of reach. Asami could feel the air get warmer around them. The fine hairs on her arm stood on end.

There was no sound. It took her another moment to realize that there was no ambient noise at all. At some point, all the spirits and other animals that had been floating about lazily had disappeared.

“You guys…?”

They all fell silent as they stared at her, and then up at the Spirit Portal.

“What the - ?” Mako’s eyes widened. “Korra, what’s going on?!”

She blinked. “I don’t know. I don’t feel anything different. I mean - “

Suddenly a bolt of energy burst from the Portal and struck a nearby tree so sharply that it was cut cleanly in half at the trunk. Three whole seconds ticked by as they gaped in shock before Asami cried out.

_“Run!”_

Korra grabbed Asami around the waist and nodded at Bolin to get the others out of the park. He pulled Opal and his brother towards him. A moment later, a pillar of rock shot out of the ground and launched the three of them into the sky. Opal managed to glide them further before Bolin raised a rock slide to smooth their landing.

Korra launched herself into the sky the exact same way, clutching Asami to her chest. The only difference was that she had waited just a moment longer, to make sure no one else was in the park first.

It only took a moment.

Another bolt of energy zapped out of the Spirit Portal, so close to them that Asami felt the sizzling heat sear her cheek. The air itself seemed to burn and melt right before her eyes.

Then, the reassuring warmth from Korra’s body was gone from behind her, and she was falling from the sky.

 _“Korra?!_ ” she cried, grabbing her fiancee’s arm, still wrapped loosely around her.

It was just her arm, flesh burned away completely at the bicep, as if it had been cut by a high powered laser.

The Southern Water Tribe Diamond on Korra’s cold, dead finger gleamed brightly as Asami screamed.

 

* * *

 

 

“Will you marry me?”

Asami stared at her in disbelief. Korra smiled nervously as the seconds ticked by in silence.

“Um. Asami?”

She gaped at the ring, and then at her. Korra, down on one knee. Alive and whole.

“Listen even if you say no, please, just say something, I’m about to - “

Suddenly Asami grasped at her back as she squeezed the Avatar as close to her body as she possibly could. She felt her warmth, her heartbeat against hers, she inhaled the scent of her hair. Korra smelled of smoke and ice, wind and grass.

“Asami? Asami - you’re - wait, those aren’t happy tears, are they?”

She was sobbing. Tears ruined her mascara and salted her lips. It had felt so real. The air blowing on her cheeks as she fell. The sizzling heat of the Spirit Portal as it became unstable. The gut-wrenching limpness of Korra’s severed arm.The sheen of their rings being the last thing she saw as the ground of Avatar Korra Park rushed up at her.

“This isn’t happy crying,” Korra decided, holding Asami as she trembled and gasped. She didn’t know what she was trying to say, only that nothing was coming out as actual words. Just hysterical sobs and cries. “Asami, what’s going on?! What’s the matter?!”

Korra carefully lifted her off of the balcony and whisked her back inside, laying her on their bed.

“Hey, hey, it’s okay. Whatever it is, it’s okay,” she said soothingly, gently pushing Asami’s increasingly unruly hair away from her face. “What happened? Are you hurt? Tell me where. Asami, _please._ ”

She couldn’t answer. She’d seen Korra die. She _felt_ Korra die. It was so real, there was no way it couldn’t have been. Asami had had plenty of dreams before, more nightmares than any one person should ever be allowed. But none like that.

Korra curled herself around her, unwilling to let her go until the incoherent weeping slowed. Once her breathing began to normalize, and the tears ran dry, she tried again.

“Are you all right?”

“You’re okay,” she croaked finally. “You’re alive. You’re…”

Korra looked at her, concern etched in the lines of her forehead.

“Um…”

“I - you - we - “ Asami felt her eyes start to burn again. She swallowed and tried to collect her thoughts.

They were in Ba Sing Se, that much was obvious. It was the Royal Palace, where the two of them had stayed while Korra and Tenzin attended meetings with the Earth Kingdom Parliament, and Asami met up with the contractor to negotiate a deal for renovating the outdated monorail. This was their last night, before they headed back home to Republic City.

But what the _fuck_ ? What the _fuck_ was that? Asami was guilty of being a bit of a daydreamer, but only when she was immeasurably bored, and being with the Avatar was just about the least boring thing that could ever happen. Was it a hallucination? What kind of hallucination let her see, feel, hear, and smell Korra’s burning flesh?

Or maybe all that was real, and she was hallucinating _this._

“Fuck. Oh, fuck.”

Korra dropped the ring box, which held the Southern Water Tribe Diamond ring that Avatar Aang gave to Katara, once upon a time.

_Fuuuck._

“Asami, you’re freaking me out.”

“This isn’t real,” she whispered.

“What? Tell me what’s going on. I’m really worried over here!”

“I was falling. I must have hit the ground, hit my head. I’m in a coma or something,” Asami continued to herself. That was the only explanation. “I’m unconscious. I’m dreaming. I lost you, Korra. You were killed, and I held your arm, and you were dead - “

“I’m not dead!”

“You were. I felt you die. You were holding me, and then you weren’t. The Spirit Portal - “

“Asami - “

“You’re dead. You’re dead, you’re dead, you’re dead, you’re dead - “

She didn’t even realized she was rocking back and forth, hugging her knees, until Korra stopped her. She took her chin and lifted Asami’s face up until she stopped trying to look away.

Her eyes were so blue. Like looking into the hottest part of a blowtorch flame. As electrifying as the sparks coming off one of her welding machines. Korra’s eyes were a wonder.

A wonder that couldn’t be replicated in some crazy dream. That brought Asami back to reality so abruptly it was like being doused in ice water. She shuddered. _This was real._

“K-Korra?”

“I’m here,” she murmured. “I’m always here for you, Asami.”

“B-b-but…”

“I love you. So much.” She hugged her so tightly Asami felt like she was the only thing holding her together. “Now will you tell me what that was all about? One second we’re having this amazing night and literally the next second you’re completely losing it.”

“You’re going to think I’m crazy.”

“Never. Asami, _please._ ”

So she told her, between renewed sobs and gasps.

To her credit, Korra did not immediately commit her to a mental institution, nor did she look at her with any sort of pity or dismissal. Instead, she took her hand in hers.

“I’m confused,” Korra admitted.

“ _You’re_ confused?”

“I mean, I’m not sure what that vision - “

“It wasn’t a vision,” Asami rasped forcefully, her voice still thick. “It wasn’t. I know it wasn’t. It was just real as this is, right here.”

“But - “

“You want to build a really big boat,” she blurted. “A boat that sails around the world, with activities for everyone on board in between international ports, like a floating hotel. You call it a 'cruise'. You’ve been sitting on this idea because you want to make sure I seal the deal with Ba Sing Se before taking on another project.”

Korra blinked. “How did you know…?”

“You told me,” Asami said. “Before the Spirit Portal exploded or whatever, we had that conversation. And I know that ring you have is the same ring Avatar Aang gave to Katara when he proposed. It’s a rare Southern Water Tribe diamond. I know because you _told me_. Because it was _real_.”

Korra fell quiet for a very long time, simply staring at her as she tried to control her breathing. The silence was almost maddening, until she squeezed Asami’s hand.

“I have no idea what's going on, but I promise we are going to figure it out.”


	2. Day One

Going to Tenzin never seemed to be a bad idea, so that was the first thing they did. He wasn’t particularly happy to have guests in his fancy Earth Palace room while he was in his pajamas, but one look at Asami trembling made him forget all about his peaceful, early night.

 He sat in front of them, his hands lightly grasping at his warm teacup as he considered the story Asami had told him. Korra had already heard it all, but she still couldn’t help but stare silently at her like it was the first time.

 “So...you think you saw the future.” The wrinkles in Tenzin’s forehead deepened.

 “I wish I didn’t. I honestly and sincerely wish I didn’t.”

 Tenzin took a deep breath. “Asami, are you sure - ?”

 “For the millionth time, of course she’s sure!” Korra snarled, always quick to come to Asami’s defense. She put a hand on her shoulder to keep the Avatar from causing all lamps in the palace to explode.

 “I know how it sounds,” she sighed. “Believe me, I know. I’m a scientist, remember? If it were one of you saying this, I’d be giving you both the same look you’re giving me.”

 Korra frowned. “I was thinking, this all sounds very meditate-y spiritual air nomad-y.”

 “Visions of the past, yes. Spiritual connections with spirits both gone from this world and still present. Communication across large distances with those that share a spiritual bond. Air Nomad clerics were known for this ability and their high-level intuition, but it’s not just among airbenders. Anyone capable of deep meditation and a connection to the spirits can potentially surpass the physical plane and access visions.” Tenzin looked at Asami again and sighed. “Forgive me for saying this, because you have become a treasured member of my family, but you are also one of the least spiritually-inclined people I have ever met in my life.”

 Korra grinned sheepishly. “He’s got a point. You couldn’t sit still and free your mind of all thought if you tried.”

 “Hey, I’m with you guys,” Asami agreed. “Logic and tangibility are my thing, for sure. I’m strictly a physical being.”

 The corners of Korra’s mouth twitched and Asami kicked her under the table, giving her a stern _not now_ expression. She responded with a shitfaced grin and wink.

 “What exactly were you doing at the time?” Tenzin wondered. “Before this all happened?”

 They paused awkwardly, realizing that their perfect date night leading to the romantic proposal had been long forgotten.

 “I never did answer you, did I?” she said to Korra, embarrassed.

 “Don’t worry about it. There are bigger concerns.”

 “Kor, it’s a yes,” she said quickly, grabbing her hands and squeezing. “Of course it’s a yes! I have my own ring for you in the nightstand! I was going to propose to you tonight as well!”

 “You were?”

 “Yes! I have a Southern Water Tribe diamond ring for you too, actually.”

 “Where did you - ?”

 “I swiped it from work, don’t worry about it.”

 Korra made a face. _“Asami - “_

 “I’m the boss, I can do what I want with my transistor diamonds,” she huffed. “We’re missing the point, here. You’ll marry me?”

 Her grin widened. “I’ve never wanted to do anything more.”

 They each had practiced this moment over and over, but neither had imagined it would be quite like this, at two in the morning while Tenzin fumbled nervously with his tea in the background. Korra leaned forward, and Asami eagerly kissed her. They held each other, not even caring that they’d left the rings in their room.

 There were a great many things Tenzin would do for the two girls, but he drew the line at watching Korra’s hands start to wander on Asami’s body. He let them carry on for three seconds more before clearing his throat.

 “I suppose congratulations are in order.” He fidgeted with his cup uncomfortably. “I’m very happy for you two, and while I understand the desire for _private_ moments - “

 Korra and Asami jerked apart.

 “ - gross, Tenzin.”

 “Please. I was young and well-practiced in proposals, once. You don’t have to - “

 Asami’s brow wrinkled. “Wait, what - ?”

 “That is neither here nor there!” Tenzin yelped. “Anyway, I must insist we focus on the matter at hand. Your vision - ”

 “It wasn’t just a vision,” Asami said firmly. “It happened. I lived it all. It was just regular life, happening the way it always does, just as real as this conversation right now. Then...somehow I’m here. Like time had snapped backwards.”

 Tenzin stared at her. “So you’re saying you...traveled forward through time? And then went back?”

 “It doesn’t sound like it,” Korra said thoughtfully. “It’s not like she was suddenly in the future with no idea what was going on. Asami seems to have known what was going on in that...reality. That...whatever. Event. Like, she _was_ that Asami, the one that was already engaged and stuff, you know?”

 “So...like a dream.”

  _It wasn’t a dream!”_ they insisted at the same time.

 “All right, all right, I know,” Tenzin held his hands up to calm them. “I’m simply wondering what that implies...”

 “I don’t know,” Asami said in frustration. “I just know that it wasn’t a dream, and it wasn’t just a vision. It _happened_. I was there.

 No one had anything to say to that. Tenzin scratched at his beard distractedly.

 “I believe her,” Korra said angrily, taking his silence as offense. “She knew about my cruise idea before I ever said anything! She knew about my ring!”

 “I believe her as well,” he said quickly. “I’m just trying to make sense of it. As soon as we get back home, I’ll consult my texts. I will admit, though, that there is little written on the abilities of non-bending, non-spiritual people. Perhaps the monks at the Air Temples can provide some insight into this.”

 Korra sighed in exasperation and got up, her hand grasped tightly around Asami’s.

 “I think we need to go to bed. It’s been a long night,” she said shortly.

 “I’ll see you in the morning.” He stood up as well to see them out. “I will advise, though, that you two keep this to yourselves for now. At least until we have a better understanding of what occurred. What you are describing is a catastrophic event involving the Spirit Portal and the people of Republic City. The world have been enjoying this new peace, I’d rather we didn’t raise any alarm for the time being.”

 Asami nodded in agreement and looked to Korra, who scowled.

 “Yeah, fine.”

 The scowl faltered when Tenzin’s arms were suddenly wrapped around the both of them.

 “I’m proud of you both. Always.”

 Asami saw the tears forming in Korra’s eyes. The avatar was determined to be indignant, as she had the tendency to be, because she still stung about Tenzin possibly doubting Asami’s story. But she was always down for a big group hug. Asami saved her the indignity of giving in and kissed Tenzin on the cheek.

 “Thank you, Tenzin.”

 Korra abruptly swiped an arm over her eyes and toughened up her voice.

 “Yeah. Night.”

 Asami let her drag her out of Tenzin’s room and halfway down the hall before stopping her.

 “Korra, he was just trying to help us.”

 “I know.”

 “There’s no reason to be annoyed with him. He loves us.”

 “I _know._ ”

 Asami frowned as Korra trudged onward and opened the door to their room. She held it open without making eye contact and waited expectantly until Asami sighed and caught up. They silently changed into their sleeping clothes and crawled into bed.

 “I’m sorry,” Asami whispered. “This ruined everything, didn’t it?”

 “No, no, of course not.” Korra pouted. “I’m just...being immature. This night was almost perfect. The most perfect night we’ve had in a really long time. I tried so hard for this to be...whatever. It doesn’t matter. What matters is you, and this Spirit Portal time-jumping thing, and - ”

 Asami pulled Korra towards her, so they lay nested in each other’s arms perfectly.

 “We have our whole lives for perfect nights.”

 “Corny.”

 “You’re marrying me.”

 “I take it back.”

 “No you don’t.”

 She could feel her strong arms tighten around her, and it brought to mind the horrifying feeling of them falling away as they plummeted through the sky. Her heart pounded in her chest and Asami swallowed hard. Her body tensed up and she hoped that Korra wouldn’t notice. She would worry more, and she was already worrying too much already.

 If Korra did notice, she didn’t mention it.

 “Of course I don’t.

 

* * *

 

Asami was brooding over the steering wheel as she drove herself and Korra back to the mansion, where they had been living together for over a year. She didn't even notice Korra staring at her the entire silent trip from the airship port to their driveway, until she pulled over and glanced at her.

 “What?”

 “I've been thinking a lot about this whole time travel thing you did,” Korra said. “We should probably - “

 “Go to the spirit world?”

 Korra nodded. “Maybe we can visit - “

 “The Tree of Time.”

 “Er, yeah. And - “

 “Wan Shi Tong’s Spirit Library.”

 “Um - ”

 “And maybe ask Iroh if there have been any disturbances in the spirit world lately that might cause the violent event that I saw happen two weeks from now.”

 Korra threw up her hands. “Well damn it, Asami! Why do I even bother?”

 She blushed sheepishly. “Sorry. You were saying?”

 Korra sighed. “Just...that. All that stuff you said, yeah.”

 “We should probably go sooner rather than later, if we want to figure this out before the spirit portal goes berserk.” Asami started to pull into the garage, lost in thought.

 “Did you want to tell the others?”

 “I thought we agreed with Tenzin that we’ll keep it to ourselves,” Asami said. “I mean, obviously, I’d like to tell Mako and Bolin and Opal. Anyone else, though, I think Tenzin was right. I’d rather not start any sort of panic until we have an answer.”

 Korra rolled her eyes. “Obviously. What I meant was, tell them about _these._ ”

 She pointed at the gleaming diamonds on their fingers.

 Asami laughed. “Oh, right. Well, I feel like we didn’t get our moment, so I want to make sure we have our moment with our friends, at least. I’m not sure how to tell them. Definitely not two weeks from now at a picnic in the park, though. I’ll be damned it _all_ our special moments are overshadowed by some devastating cosmic disaster.”

 “I don’t think we’ll have to wait that long.” Korra smirked.

“Why - _AHHH!_ ”

With a loud thunk, Bolin landed in the Satomobile between his friends and tugged them both together.

“I missed you guys _so much_ I know it was only a week but it was a really long week and you won’t believe what you’ve missed. They promoted Mako and he’s a real detective now and Opal is like _this close_ to getting her tattoos and Jinora is leaving for the Eastern Air Temple tomorrow and there’s _draaamaaaa_ because Tenzin sent Kai to the Western Temple last month and she thinks that was on purpose and man, I didn’t wanna bother you guys calling _every day_ so I wrote you letters and sent them via Air Express Post but I have no idea if they got to you in time like, what if they’re just arriving now that you’re _here??_ Oh well, it’s fine, I’ll catch you up. I’ve been waiting for you guys like _all day_ , can you believe...“

He kept going, but it was at that point Asami decided maybe the engagement news might be a bit much for their already-about-to-explode Bolin. She decided it probably would be best if they discreetly slid off their rings and -

_CRASH!_

Everyone in the car jumped.

“What the heck was that?!” Korra demanded. They all turned to look up the street.

“Oh, no.”

Asami could tell exactly what had happened, just by looking at the hunks of twisted metal that used to be two Satomobiles. The first vehicle had lost control and the driver, either inexperienced or very young, reacted by slamming the brakes. It had to have been going at max speed, which caused it to skid, spin, and flip. The vehicle behind it, a police car likely trying to stop the crazy driver, had to have been tailing it at matching speed. Not even a cop would have had the reflexes to steer out of the way. It collided with the first car, practically cleaving it in half. Dark smoke billowed from both their engines.

 Korra sprinted to the scene of the accident, Bolin hot on her heels. Asami chased after them, cautiously eyeing the smoke. That was definitely not good smoke.

“It’s _Mako’s_ patrol car!” Bolin realized, staring at the plates. Asami paled as Korra made a beeline for police car and bent the door off. Bolin practically dove inside. “Mako? _Mako!_ ”

 "Careful!” Korra cried as Bolin re-emerged, cradling his brother’s limp and bloodied body. She rushed forward and pressed her hands against the first bleeding wound she saw. There was no water to bend for healing. The fire had dried the air around them.

Before catching up to them, Asami whipped off her sweater and began tearing shreds into makeshift bandages.

“What’s that smell?” She heard Korra ask. Asami felt her stomach drop, and looked at the street. Liquid had started to pool beneath the cars, releasing a heavy chemical odor. _Fuck._ She’d thought they had more time.

“Oh, no. No, no, no, no - _KORRA!_ ”

Korra looked up, but it was too late.

_BOOOOOM!_

Both Satomobiles exploded, sending Asami flying backwards. She tumbled in the grass and saw stars for a moment, but when she was able, she staggered back onto her feet.

 A huge, blazing ball of fire had engulfed the road. Her friends were completely gone.

 “No! _NO!_ ” Asami shrieked, rushing towards the flames. But of course, there was no way. No possible, scientific way any human being could have survived an explosion like that.

 She got so close it felt like her skin was roasting, and powered forward still. She couldn’t see anything. She couldn’t do anything.

  _“Noooo!”_

 Not again. Not again.

 Asami fell to her knees, the intense heat turning her sobs into steam. Her hands shook against her face. She couldn’t take this. She couldn’t take it. Not Korra. Not _everyone_.

 She screamed. She screamed and screamed and screamed until smoke and soot coated her lungs and she couldn’t scream anymore. Through the fire, she could just barely see a dark figure lying on the ground. She didn’t know who it was. It didn’t matter. Nothing mattered, after this.

 Asami reached her hand out towards it, ignoring the searing pain burning up her arm. She ignored the flames lapping at her sleeves. It didn’t matter. Her vision blurred, swirled into oranges and reds and blacks. The only thing she could see was that dark, still body, and the shine of her engagement ring as she reached for it.

 

* * *

 

Korra rolled her eyes. “Obviously. What I meant was, tell them about _these._ ”

 Asami gasped, jerking in her seat and clutching at her chest in shock.

 “Whoa, you okay there, Asami?”

 Bolin leaped into the middle of the Satomobile and hugged them both.

She couldn’t breathe. She just stared, at Bolin, then Korra, and back again. Over and over.

 Bolin didn’t seem to notice.

 “I missed you guys so much I know it was only a week but it was a really long week and you won’t believe what you’ve missed. They promoted Mako and he’s a real detective now and Opal is like _this close_ to getting her tattoos and Jinora is leaving for the Eastern Air Temple tomorrow and there’s _draaamaaaa_ because - “

  _“NO!”_ Asami cried.

 “Uh...?” Korra raised an eyebrow. “Are you okay?”

 “We have to get to the street!”

 “Why?”

 Asami bolted out of the car and started running. “Come on! Spirits, would you _please_ just fucking - _let’s go!_ ”

 Startled, Korra and Bolin raced after her until they reached the intersection.

 “In a second there’s going to be a red Satomobile. Korra, you need to set it straight. Metal bend it so it doesn’t start spinning - “

 “Asami?”

 “And right behind it will be a police car. Bolin, you need to push it out of the way. Stop it or put it on the grass or whatever, just make sure it’s out of the way!”

 “What is happening right now?”

 Asami could hear the roar of incoming engines.

 “NOW! JUST _DO IT!_ ”

 Right on cue, the red car zoomed past in a blur. Just as the car started to lose control, Korra raised her hands and lunged. A dent appeared in the side of the car, knocking it straight on the road, and it kept on going, steering over a hill, and out of sight.

 Meanwhile, Bolin launched the pursuing police car into the air with a stone ramp conjured up through the asphalt from the earth underneath. Korra air bent it gently to the ground beside the road.

 Bolin’s eyes were as large as saucers. “Wow… That could have been a really bad accident...”

 Korra wrung her hands anxiously. “Yeah… Coulda been...”

 The police car door blew open and Mako stomped out, red in the face and looking superbly pissed off.

 “What the _fuck_ , you guys?! You just let my suspect get away! I almost had him! Do you even know how long I was staking out that…” Mako trailed off at everyone’s bewildered expressions. “Uh...guys? What’s going on?”

 Korra and Bolin just stared at Asami, who staggered backwards and sat down on the grass. Hard.

 “Asami...how’d you know about those cars?” Bolin asked.

 “I...I…” She took a deep breath. Then another. And another. “I…”

 “Also, wait, are those rings on your fingers!?” he clapped his hands excitedly, as if something completely insane hadn’t just happened. “Are you guys _engaged!?_ ”  



	3. Day One (Part II)

Mako and Bolin sat across the dining table from them, giving Asami the exact same look Tenzin had the night before

“Oh…” Mako breathed slowly. “So...oh. Okay.”

“That’s _nuts!_ ” Bolin said, more concisely. “You can see into the future!? _Awesome!_ ”

“I watched you die,” Asami said hollowly. “I’ve seen Korra die twice.”

“Oh...right,” Bolin said sheepishly. “Not awesome, sorry.”

So much for taking Tenzin’s advice and keeping everything a secret. There was no way of explaining herself out of that situation, so Asami just took them all into her mansion, sat them down, and calmly explained to them that her already complicated life had gone completely off the rails.

Mako seemed to be having the most trouble grasping it. The poor thing had rubbed his hand into his scalp so hard in confusion that he was practically going bald.

“Okay, so last night you saw - “

“She didn’t see - it was real. She experienced it!” Korra corrected him, jumping to her defense just like she had with Tenzin. Asami could always count on her for that, but she place a hand on hers to calm her down. Korra was quick to lose her patience with Tenzin, and she didn’t want to isolate themselves from anyone at that point.

“Okay, right, she _experienced_ two weeks into the future. Then, on the road just now, she experienced a few minutes into the future?”

Asami nodded. “Basically, yes.”

Bolin forced a grin that didn’t quite reach the rest of his face. “Uh-huh. Uh-huh. Cool. Yeah. Cool, cool, cool.”

She felt Korra tense, and she squeezed her wrist gently. _Calm down, Kor._

“Well, that’s good, isn’t it?” Mako suggested.

“How is that good!?” Korra scowled.

“Well, she was able to change the outcome of the car crash because she knew it was going to happen,” he explained. “That means, since we know about the Spirit Portal in advance, we can change that outcome too.”

Asami didn’t answer right away. What Mako was saying was true, but not entirely.

“When I... _experienced_...the Spirit Portal, it wasn’t my choice,” she said. “I was literally just pulled there and back against my will. But with the crash it was different. The crash happened first, and then…”

She trailed off, feeling extraordinarily awkward.

“And then what?” Korra asked softly.

“I think...I think I pulled myself back. To a few minutes before the crash. I did it consciously.” They all stared at her again, which was definitely starting to get a little tiresome. But she understood where it was coming from. The implications of what she was saying were swirling around in her head like a tempest in a fishbowl. “I mean, I was talking to Korra, then Bolin jumped into the car, then the crash happened and I’m freaking out and I reach out my hand...and then suddenly I’m back with Korra and Bolin. They’re saying all the same things, and everything happens again exactly the same way. Only that time, I got you guys to fix it. No one got hurt.”

“You pulled yourself back,” Mako repeated incredulously. “You’re saying...you _manipulated time?_ ”

“You’re a Timebender!” Bolin exclaimed.

“Is that a thing?” Korra asked. “That can’t be a thing. How can that be a thing?”

“What, spirits and monsters and summoning the elements with our fingertips is normal, but controlling time is weird to you?” He challenged. “Okay, whatever you say, Miss I’m-A-Ten-Thousand-Year-Old-Reincarnation-Of-Some-Guy-That-Talks-To-Lion-Turtles.”

“Uh...fair enough."

Mako looked at Asami curiously. “Can you do it again?”

“Can I what?”

“Timebend!” Bolin said, clapping his hands. “Try to do it again!”

Korra wrinkled her nose. “She’s not a circus lemur, Bo.”

Asami thought for a moment. It wasn’t enough for her to just bend time. She had to give her friends concrete evidence that she’d done it, otherwise there was pretty much no reason for them to think she wasn’t losing her mind. Hell, she had to prove it to herself, too.

“Everyone empty your pockets and set it all out on the table.”

They obliged. Mako set his badge and his wallet on the table. Bolin offered up a fistful of rock candy, ten loose yuan bills, and a small, worn photo of Opal. Korra had a used tissue, a gum wrapper, and her South Pole passport. She couldn’t help but smile at how hilariously characteristic of her friends it all was.

“All right. Um, I’ll try to turn time back and...you’ll know I did it if I can guess what’s in your pockets without needing to see everything.”

 They all shared a look before nodding in agreement, even though theoretically their consent would never actually happen if she turned back time...

...If Asami was going to be messing around with realities, she was going to have to stop thinking like that. She swallowed and reached out her hand, feeling immeasurably silly as she did so.

 “It’s okay,” Korra said encouragingly. “It’s fine.”

 Asami bit her lip and concentrated. It took a few seconds, but eventually it happened. She focused on the moment, just before she’d seen what her friends had in their pockets. She fixated on the feeling she felt, the fondness she had for them and how desperate she was for them to not think she was crazy. It was almost like that moment was a rock, a fixed point, and she was able to throw a rope around it.

 She pulled. Colors began to swirl around her and her vision blurred until all she could make out was her own hand among the chaos. The vague shapes of her friends vibrated in place, their tiny movements accelerated backwards as is she were watching a visual echo rippling in front of her.

 The pain started out slow, like a dull ache at her temples, but after a few seconds her heart began to race and her head felt like it was about to split open. She cried out and stopped, quickly slamming her hand back down on the table and breathing hard.

 “Timebend!” Bolin was saying as he clapped his hands. “Try to do it again!”

 She looked at them, all in the exact same place, looking at her the exact same way. She even remembered... _there_ , the moment when Korra’s adorable little nose wrinkled.

 “She’s not a circus lemur, Bo.”

  _Spirits, this was so weird._ Although, at least this time no one was dying horribly or anything.

 “I...think I just did,” Asami said awkwardly. “Timebend, I mean. Mako, you’ve got your badge and your wallet in your pockets. Bolin, you have rock candy, ten yuans, and a photo of Opal. Korra, all you have in your pockets are trash and a passport.”

 The three of them looked startled, and then quietly patted down their pockets.

 “Holy shit,” Mako said.

 “Well, of course Mako has his badge. And of course I have a photo of Opal,” Bolin said suspiciously, pulling out the photo in question. “But what’s she doing in it?”

 “Eating a fruit pie.”

 “Wow!”

 “What kind of trash do I have?” Korra said, peering into her own pockets.

 “A gross tissue and a really old gum wrapper. You’re a slob, baby.”

 “This is amazing,” Mako said, his eyes wide. “So I’m guessing you told us to empty out our pockets and then turned time back?”

 “Yes.”

 “You really can bend time!” Bolin said. “What about going forwards?”

 Asami and Korra shared a look.

 “I never tried,” she admitted. “I mean, the Spirit Portal thing was the future, but I didn’t do that willingly. I don’t actually know how I did that.”

 “Give it a shot,” Mako suggested. “See if you can go forward a little.”

 Asami raised her hand again, feeling slightly less foolish, and everyone just stared at it. She bit her lip and concentrated, just like she had before. Nothing happened. Unlike turning back time, she had no point on which to focus. Not knowing the future meant there was nothing to tether herself on and pull. The only point she knew for sure was the Spirit Portal massacre, and she definitely didn’t want to revisit that.

 There was no rock for her to throw her rope around. No headache, no swirling colors, nothing.

 “It doesn’t work the same way,” she sighed. “I don’t think I can do it. It feels different.”

 “So just backwards,” Korra said.

 “And even then, not very far,” Asami admitted. “My head was starting to hurt turning time back just that one minute.”

 She nodded somberly. “Well, this all just makes the whole Spirit Portal threat all the more real. We have to figure out what causes it to go berserk in two weeks, and how to stop it.”

 “That’s not the only question we have here,” Mako pointed out. “Why can you suddenly timebend now? The rest of us were little kids when we became benders, and you’re old.”

 “Gee, thanks.”

 “Not old!” he amended. “Just, I never heard of anyone older than ten suddenly getting bending powers. Outside of Harmonic Convergences, I mean. Nothing else has changed with the spirit world, has it?”

 All eyes turned to Korra, who shrugged unhelpfully.

 “Asami and I were talking about it, actually,” she said. “We think we need to pay a visit to the Spirit World soon and check things out. Maybe see the Tree of Time or Wan Shi Tong.”

 “Ooooh, when?” Bolin asked. “I need to check with my boss if I can get the time off.”

 Asami raised an eyebrow. “I’m your boss.”

 “Well? Whaddya say?”

 “We don’t need you to come along, Bo,” Korra assured him. “It’ll be fine, we’re just doing a little research. No danger or anything. “

 He scowled. “Every time I leave you two alone you do things without me. First you run off to the spirit world alone and next thing I know you’re _together_. Then you have a couples trip to Ba Sing Se - “

 “That was a business trip,” Asami reminded him. “And we were there on _separate_ business. And _Tenzin_ was there!”

 “ - and then all of a sudden you’re _engaged!_ ” Bolin continued, fully committed to being contrary. “If we let you guys go to the spirit world this time you’re probably going to come back married with like five kids!”

 Before either of them could inform Bolin of how ridiculous he was being, Mako stepped in.

 “I’d like to come along too,” he said, holding up a hand before they could protest. “Not because I’m scared you’ll get married there, because, I mean, I’m totally okay with that. I swear I’m not - I mean, I want you guys to get married, it’s not even weird for me at this point. Listen, I support each of you a thousand percent, and you’re always going to be - “

 “Mako, we know,” Asami interrupted, starting to feel herself blush. Korra rolled her eyes. He had started off reasonably, but now looked as though his head might explode.

 “Anyway,” he said, clearing his throat. “We don’t _know_ that it’s safe. I mean, how did Asami even get to the future in the first place? She can’t have done it herself, something _forced_ her there. Something has already started happening, whatever it is.”

 Korra looked about to whine, but Asami put a hand on her arm to stop her.

 “Mako’s right. This isn’t a problem in two weeks. It’s a problem now. Who knows what’s been going on over there?”

 She groaned. “Fine, fine. Group trip to the Spirit World.”

 “I’ll tell Opal!”

 “I’ll see if I can get the Chief - “

 “We don’t need Opal or Lin to come!” Korra insisted. “The four of us is more than enough! Tenzin told us to keep this under wraps and I think he’s right. Until we really know what’s going on, the fewer people that know, the better.”

 Bolin frowned. “So I have to lie to Opal?”

 “You don’t have to lie to Opal,” Asami said, giving her fiance a look. “What, Korra? Would you lie to me if it was the other way around?”

 “No,” she grumbled. “We trust Opal. You can tell her, but just make it clear this is a _secret_.”

 “Super clear!”

 Asami glanced over at Mako. “You should _prooo_ bably lie to Lin, though.”

 “What? Why? We trust her!”

 “We do, but you of all people know what she’d be obligated to do as protector of this city. If she knew there was even a chance the Spirit Portal might blow up, endangering millions of people that are just starting to adjust to their new lives...”

 Mako considered it. “She’d shut the park construction down, evacuate thirty blocks in every direction, call in a state of emergency, have the military swarming the place in a matter of hours, and cause a worldwide panic.”

 “Exactly. All for something we have no answers for. Let’s not allow things to get out of hand here. Also, if Opal knows and stays behind, she can get help from Lin and whoever else if things go badly for us.”

“Okay,” he agreed reluctantly. “I can get tomorrow off.”

 “I’ll push tomorrow’s meetings to later this week,” Asami said. “And yes, Bolin, you can get the day off too. Korra, I’ll pull some strings and get you out of that commercial district committee meeting.”

 She grinned. “I’m _so_ into Take-Charge Asami.”

 “Well, I do run multiple product lines of an international technology enterprise.”

 “Ugh. Say that to me again.”

 The brothers decided then that it was time to go home.

 

* * *

 

 After the boys were sworn to secrecy - about the timebending _and_ their engagement - Asami and Korra whipped up a quick dinner, unpacked their things, and started to get ready for bed. The Avatar was normally overly energetic at bedtime, always chatty and excited about how the day had gone, to the point that they _both_ had trouble falling asleep at a regular hour. It took Asami a full year to drill a stimulation-minimizing routine into her head that calmed her down enough. Teeth brushed and no more eating or drinking after nine, in bed with a book or something by ten, and no more touching each other after eleven. Those were the strict bedtime rules.

But she had noticed throughout the evening that ever since the timebending test run, Korra had been relatively quiet. Asami didn’t even have to bother winding her down, she was ready for bed and under the covers at only half past eight. Ba Sing Se did have a three hour time difference from Republic City that was probably contributing to that, but this was still a little strange.

 “What's on your mind?” Asami asked, brushing her hair just a few more strokes at the mirror before crawling into bed with her.

 Korra pretended to smile. “Same thing that's always on it. You.”

 “Smooth.”

 “Obviously. When am I not?”

 “Nice try. Tell me.”

 The smile faded and she tucked both hands under her head, gazing up at the ceiling thoughtfully.

 “I suppose I always thought that your being a nonbender meant you were safer, somehow.”

 Asami couldn't help but bark out a laugh. “ _Safer?_ How long have you known me?”

 “I just meant that you, blend in with other people, or whatever. You don't stand out as a target as much.”

 “I'm the CEO of Future Industries, my father was an Equalist, I have repeatedly built this city up from the ground, and I'm dating the Avatar.”

 “I know, but - “

 “ -Not to mention, I'm unbelievably gorgeous. Really, beautiful in every way.”

 Korra pinched her stomach playfully. “Jerk. I only meant now that you have powers, you're more likely to get into danger. You're more likely to use them to help people, or something. More likely to get hurt along the way. And maybe...I don't know…”

 “Did you think I'd spend the rest of my days hiding behind a desk or safe and sound in the factory? Korra, that was never going to be me, timebending or not." Asami rolled onto her stomach and rested on her elbows, so she could look her in the eye more easily. “Honestly? I'm a little offended. If we're going to get married, you need to realize that I will be wherever I'm needed. Just like I've accepted that fact about you."

 Korra met her glare with the sheepish grin. "Well, at least I do find comfort in the fact that you're a certified genius."

"And don't you forget it." Asami shifted over, until she found a comfortable spot to rest her head - between the crook of Korra’s elbow and her outstretched biceps. She left a soft kiss on her arm and she felt her muscles immediately relax. 

“Can you promise me one thing, though?”

 “Anything,” Asami said.

 “Can you kind of...limit your timebending? For important situations only?”

 She picked her head up to squint at her. “What?”

 “Like...can you promise never to timebend with me?”

 “Timebend with you? How do you mean?”

 “I know it’s silly, but I just want to know that you and I - we’re the real deal," she said anxiously, almost embarrassed. "The original Korra and Asami, no do-overs or hiding secrets by resetting the clock."

The thought of doing that had never even occurred to her. Turning back time to fix a silly mistake for personal gain seemed low, basically the same as lying. Asami Sato considered herself a great many things, but liar wasn't one of them.

”I would never! Korra, I can’t lie to you!”

“I know, I know, I’m sorry. I guess I'm just scared that if you keep bending time I might...lose something. Pieces of us, pieces of _you_ , lost somewhere...in time? In reality? I know we’re still young, but I can’t stand the idea of us running out of...” She sighed heavily. “Spirits, I don't mean to tell you what to do with your powers or anything like that. I just - ugh, this is too much to think about. I don’t know what I’m even saying. I'm sorry. We should be sleeping, we have a big day tomorrow."

 Asami gently placed a hand on her cheek.

 “Do you trust me?"

"I do," she said, the first confident thing she had said all evening. "I absolutely, one hundred percent do. I'm sorry if I made it seem like I didn't. It's just so - "

Asami silenced her with a soft peck on her lips.

"Then believe me when I say I have no desire to timebend on a whim. I don't want to timebend at all, if I can help it."

It took a moment, but eventually, Korra smirked.  
  
“But, I mean, if I’m gonna die again, please feel free - “

”I know. I'll just let you.”

“What!?" Korra snorted and gave her a shove. "No! I’m the Avatar, you know. I’m very important. Save me at all costs!”

Asami laughed. “You’re going to have to make me a formal list of important situations, then.”

”Me! I’m an important situation!”

“What if the Fire Ferrets lose the semifinals? That’s at least _as_ important, right?”

Korra scowled and hopped over so she was straddling her hips.

”You’re awful.”

”I love you too.”

Korra chuckled to herself and sat on her thighs, idly playing with the lace hem of her silk sleeping gown. Her expression was pensive.

”I’m really scared of all this,” she said finally. “Something’s happened to you that I have no control over, something I’m not even sure I can help you with. If this is beyond the Avatar's power, I don’t know what - “

Asami’s finger pressed against her lips. She hadn't stopped worrying about all of this since the moment she snapped out of it on that balcony in Ba Sing Se. Every new development with her timebending powers twisted her stomach in brand new knots. The Satos weren't benders, they weren't a spiritual people. On the contrary, they dedicated their lives to helping people adjust to lives of nonbending. Asami didn't grow up with any kind of religion or even any belief system outside of scientific discovery. She never had to relinquish power to forces she couldn't see or hear or touch. If there was ever a time she was ever at a complete loss about something, this was it. And this, being in the dark with nothing to go on but blind faith, was just about the most terrifying thing that had ever happened to her. 

But Korra was biting her lip and staring off into space, and she cared more about Korra's fear than her own. Asami wasn't good at having faith, but she did have something else - the uncanny ability to convince a client that everything would work out in the end, straight out of a savvy businesswoman's handbook.

“I’m worried too. But we always figure it out, don't we? We have a pretty great track record, you and me. The dream team."

"You're using your business wiles on me, Sato."

"Well, those aren't my _only_ wiles..."

She let her hands wander up her sides, gently caressing the soft skin over her ribs, under her breasts...

"But I mean, Mako and Bolin are coming with us, too, hopefully that helps," she said absently, the fact that her fiancee was trying to segue into sexy times soaring completely over her head. "Tenzin will probably find something in his texts, and Opal can help him out with that while she stays behind. I wonder if - "

" - Korra, can you please shut up for a second so I can get your stupid top off?"

"I'm trying to be serious!"

"So am I!"

"Really? Right now? In the middle of a Spirit World crisis?"

"We are in the middle of _bed,_ " Asami argued. "There is no crisis here, other than the one in my pants!"

The fear in Korra's eyes dissipated, replaced by a look that meant she was totally going to regret that one in the morning.

"Did you just say there was a crisis in your pants?"

"No."

"I'm telling Bolin you said that."

"No, you aren't," Asami sighed. "Listen, we can't do anything about all this now, right? There's no point in worrying until after we investigate in the Spirit World. We have to try and relax, in the meantime."

Korra kissed her deeply, than smirked at her. "I'm gonna let this sexual manipulation slide, because I know it bothers you when you don't have all the answers, and you hate seeing me upset. But we're still going to talk about it tomorrow."

"Fine," she said, her mouth going dry as Korra finally stripped off her clothes.

She was still chalking this up as a win.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you follow my other Korrasami story at all, you know that I can get really busy (I work full-time and I'm working on a masters degree part-time). Maintaining a work/life balance can be pretty hard for me, so I apologize for infrequent updates, and hope y'all can understand!


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